Folding carriage and invalid-chair.



0. F. G. BEHR.

FOLDING CARRIAGE AND INVALID CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.22, 1913.

Patented July 7, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

est Inventor: by fi?% /3Z/ Wwfl Atty THE NORRIS PETERS CO..FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D- C G. F. G. BEHR. FOLDING CARRIAGE ANDINVALID OH'AIR.

APPLIYOATIOIII'IILED APBHZZ; 1913.

1,102,565. PatentedJuly7,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor:

Atty

\ THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. C.

sired.

CLAUS F. G. IBEH'R, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING CARRIAGE AND INVALID-CHAIR.

messes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, rare.

Application filed. April 22, 1913. Serial No. 762,790.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLAUs F. G. Benn, citizenof the United States, and resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county ofKings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Carriages and Invalid-Chairs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The device, the subject of my invention, is intended principally for thetype of carriage used in the care of children, particularly small babiesthat must be carried or wheeled from place to place, and in mydevelopment I have endeavored to construct a carriage of wicker that maybe folded into a small space and yet one that will be firm when arrangedfor use and at all times light and easily transportable.

It will be seen from the drawings, that accompany this specification,that I have eliminated all unnecessary parts, but that I have retainedall necessary features, and features that mean efliciency andsatisfactory operation. I have, therefore, retained the springs that nocarriage is complete without and I have provided means whereby the childmay assume a comfortable reclining position, if such is desired andwithout the necessity of difiicult adjustment or complex mechanicaloperation. All of these important features and others not hereenumerated, will be fully set forth as the specification progresses.

The following is what I consider the best means of carrying out thisinvention and the accompanying drawings form a part of thisspecification in which:

Figure 1, shows in side elevation the completed carriage and in positionfor operation. From all of these figures I have omitted the woven wickerwork preferring to show merely the frame. Fig. 2, shows in frontelevation the device as it will appear when folded. Fig. 3, shows thecarriage in side elevation and in the folded condition shown in Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures wherethey appear.

What may be considered the side member of my device is the part shown inthe figures, formed with the downwardly depending members 1 and 2connected together by means of a bent portion 3. This shape pro vides aspace 4 into which may be woven basket or wicker work in any pattern de-Spaced away from the member 2 is a second vertical member 5 which formsthe statlonary back of the carriage and between the back and the sides Iarrange a block 6. It will be understood that I provide two side memberssimilar in outline and function though I will describe but one, thatformed by means of the parts 1 and 2. I also pro vide two blocks 6 onearranged at each side and to these blocks I hinge the side members. Theblocks are however firmly secured to the back as it is my intention thatthey should operate as stationary projections therefrom.

Pivoted in the block 6 and free to rotate therein, is a cross bar 7 andsecured to this bar and extending outwardly therefrom are the bars 8,secured together at their outer ends by the cross bar 9. These bars alsoprovide a space 10 into which suitable wicker or basket work may bewoven to produce a seat.

A plurality of loop hinges 11 arranged upon the cross bar 9, connect across bar 12 in operable relation and parallel to the bar 9 andextending outward from this bar 12 and at right angles thereto, Iarrange a plurality of bars 13 which have their outer ends connected bymeans of a cross bar 1ft. These parts when they have received the properinterlaced basket work form what I may call the leg-rest which is merelyan extension from the seat. A foot-rest which is a further extension ofthe seat and the part just described is formed of the arched member 15and the bar 16 and is hinged to the bar 14 by a plurality of loophinges. To retain this foot rest in its proper operable position and toallow it to fold, I will provide links 17 of ordinary constructionformed in two parts and pivoted to each other at about mid-length.

Hingedly connected to the stationary vertical back 5, I arrange theadjustable backrest 18, which is a looped member well adapted to receivea wicker interlacing and to serve as a firm support for the head andprobably shoulders of the occupant of the carriage. This back rest maybe caused to assume an upright position parallel and closely adjacent tothe member 5 orit may be allowed to slant outward and backward to agreater or less extent, to an extent that will be efficiently controlledby the metallic brace 19. This brace 19 is provided with loops 20arranged between its ends and a pin 21 secured to the adjustable back 18free to enter one of these loops to be retained there until furtheradjusted.

Secured to the upright stationary member 5 is the handle or pusher,which consists of two parallel outwardly extending metallic bars 22pivoted at 23 to the member 5 and having their outer ends joined bymeans of a suitable and ornamental bar 24. It is my desire that thispushing handle should be adjustable as to height and angle, and that itshould be adapted to fold closely upon the member 5. To that end Iarrange the quadrant 25 suitably slotted and through this slot I pass abolt 26 terminating in a wing-nut 27. The bolt may be secured in the bar22 and I may upset the end of the boltso that the wing-nut 27 cannot beentirely removed and lost.

I have found it advisable to provide a hood for this Carriage and asthis hood must also be foldable, I construct it of two oblong members 28and 29 formed of reed or willow and adapted to receive a suitable wickeror basket-reed. These oblong members are hinged together at two of theirlongest sides, and at each end of the shed, thus formed, I arrange avertical metallic member 30 provided with longitudinal slot and twoangularly disposed metallic members 32 and 33 each of which is alsoslotted longitudinally. The lower ends of these members areperforatedand are brought together under an adjusting wing-nut 34. Thehood is secured in the upper end of these members or somewhat adjacentthereto, by means of additional wing-nuts 85, 36 and 37. It will be seenfrom this construction that the hood may be made of greater or lesswidth or it may be folded flat, and that the adjustable wing-nut 34 willallow the hood to be placed at any desirable angle on the carriageproper.

Thus far I have described the construction of the body of my device, butthe arrangement of the wheels is no less novel and important, and I willnow describe it.

Secured to each of th lower ends of the part 1, I arrange a bracket 40which is an ofi-set bracket slanting outward to a greater or less extentand to these brackets I pivot a small wheel 41. This wheel is intendedmerely as a resting or steadying wheel, useful at times but notaltogether necessary. The main traction wheel I show at 42. This wheelmay be of any diameter and is one of a pair rotatably mounted or securedto the ends of a stationary bar or axle 43. A pin 44 secured in theupper side of this bar 43 extends upward to be loosely engaged by, andin brackets 45 and between each of the brackets, and surrounding each ofthe pins 44 I arrange a voluted compression spring 46, of sufiicientstrength to easily support the carriage and its contents. To'retain thewheels in exact alinement and to hold them in position when the deviceis lifted from the ground I provide a plurality of links 47 pivoted tothe member 5 and at a point adjacent to the lower end thereof. The innerend of each link is secured by a pivot 48 to a bracket 49 which is inturn secured parts that I may form integral with this bracket 49 aplurality of lips 50, which will serve as efficient guides and retainersfor the lower end of the springs 46.

I have before mentioned that the leg-rest 18 was hinged to the seatproper. This is important when the device is to be used as a chair or inthe position shown in Fig. 1. To secure this rest in a horizontalposition I provide the construction shown near the top of the Fig. 2. Itconsists of parallel metallic members 51 arranged one on each of theside bars of the rest, and pivoted there to. At the innermost end oneach of these metallic members I provide a down turned lip 52. Atmid-length the leg-rest 13 and extending between the bars 12 and 14, Iarrange a metallic strap 53 provided with a slot 54, and through thisslot I extend a bolt to which is adjustably secured a wing-nut 55. Uponthis bolt and operable therewith, I arrange angularly disposed links 56con necting them with the members 51, and now when the bolt is forcedbackward or downward in the slot 54 the ends or lips 52 of the 7 3 andto that end I have provided a-novel means of support, for each partwhich con I sists of metallic loops such as shown at 60,

and downwardly and inwardly turned metallic lips as shown at 61 whichmay pass into and through the loops 60 to be firmly engaged andsupported, therein. Such loops.

are conveniently placed to support the seat when it is in position foruse and the leg-rest I when it is depressed, as it will be when thedevice is to be used as a chair.

I desire it understood that modifications may be made within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from the principle orsacrificing the advantages of this invention. I may find it desirable tosecure the projections or lips 61 after they have passed through theloops 60, and for that purpose I may add certain thumb screws'slottingthe projections 61 so that they may pass around the thumb screwsarranged adjacent. I may find that another type of spring may besubstituted for the spring l6 but I prefer the whole as shown anddescribed. I may also find it desirable to construct the body portion ofmy carriage of wood or metal. By wood, I means boards or wooden shapesother than the willow described.

I desire to call attention to the construction of my device which allowsit to serve as a chair and it will be understood that I may use ordinarychair construction fitting to such the parts of my device that may bedeemed necessary.

Having carefully described my invention what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character describedhaving a plurality of side members and a vertical member securedtogether, a handle member pivoted to said vertical member and secured tosaid vertical member a quadrant adapted to assist in the adjustment ofsaid handle member as herein specified.

2. In a folding chair or carriage a plurality of side frames and a backframe, a plurality of blocks secured to said back frame and hingedlyconnected to said side frames, a seat pivoted in said blocks and a legand foot rest in series hinged to each other and to said seat, and aback rest pivoted in said back frame and adapted to be reclined at adesired angle, and means for retaining said leg-rest in a depressed orelevated position at will as herein specified.

3. A folding carriage having a vertical back member blocks securedthereto and projecting therefrom and side members hinged to said blocksand adapted to fold vertically against said back member and within theline of said blocks as herein specified.

4. A folding chair or carriage having a vertical back member, aplurality of spring supported wheels secured thereto and adjustablehandle member secured thereto, an adjustable back member pivoted theretoand means for supporting said back member in a desired position, aplurality of blocks permanently secured to said back member, a pluralityof side members hingedly engaged with said blocks and a foldable topadjustably secured to said side members, a seat pivoted in said blocksand provided with a plurality of downwardly depending lips, a leg-resthingedly engaged with said seat member and provided with a plurality ofdownwardly depending lips and levers for supporting said leg-rest, and afoot rest hingedly engaged with said leg-rest and rovided with links forretaining in operable position and loops upon said side members for thereception of all of said downwardly depending lips, the whole combinedfor joint operation as herein specified and for the purpose set forth.

' Signed at New York city, N, Y., this 14th day of April, 1913, A. D.,in the presence of two witnesses.

C. F. G. BEHR. Witnesses:

G. E. STERRITTE, ARTHUR PHELPS MARE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

